Supreme Court to hear on legalisation of gay rights today

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear today the issue of decriminalisation of gay sex among consenting adults in private.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly would be hearing a bunch of petitions filed by gay rights activists and political, social and religious organisations who have opposed the Delhi High Court verdict decriminalising homosexual behaviour.

People and organisations from different field have come out in support of or against the path-breaking verdict sparking a controversy. Several political, social and religious organisation have asked the Supreme Court to give the final verdict on the issue.

Senior BJP leader B P Singhal who had opposed legalisation of gay sex in the High Court has challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court saying that such acts are illegal, immoral and against ethos of Indian culture.

Expressing similar sentiments, religious organisations like All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Utkal Christian Council and Apostolic Churches Alliance have opposed the highcourt's verdict.

The High Court had on July 2, 2009 declared the penal provision (under Section 377 of Indian Penal Code) for gay sex among consenting adults in private as unconstitutional whichwas earlier a criminal offence punishable with up to life imprisonment.

The party opposing the high court verdict contended that homosexual acts, by all standards, were "unnatural" and could not be permitted.

The Supreme Court had declined to stay the verdict and had said, "Any interim order against the High Court verdict, if necessary, will be considered only after hearing the parties concerned".